It is currently possible to provide relevant targeted information to recipients using a network, such as a cable television network. The ability to provide relevant targeted information to the appropriate viewers is critical. If too much non-relevant information is presented to a viewer, then the viewer tends to be less attentive to all of the information presented and may miss important relevant information when it is presented.
For example, information about expected severe weather is more relevant to those viewers located within the affected area than those located in remote areas. If viewers receive warnings about any severe weather that is expected, regardless of whether it is expected to affect their location, then the viewers are likely to be less attentive to severe weather warnings and miss a warning about severe weather that is expected to affect their location. In contrast, if viewers only receive warnings about severe weather that is expected to affect their area, then they are more apt to pay attention to the warnings and to take appropriate precautions. Thus, there is a need to ensure that relevant information is delivered to viewers.
One of the problems with current cable television distribution systems is that it is difficult to maintain an association between the distribution devices in the cable television network and the viewers served. The cable television industry has been consolidating so that there are fewer cable operators. Consolidation typically affects the distribution and assignment of distribution devices within the cable television network. When a distribution device is installed at a cable head end, it is assigned to serve certain viewers or viewers located within certain geographic areas. If two cable operations are consolidated, then typically the number of distribution devices is decreased and the number of geographic areas served by a single distribution device is increased. The assignment of the additional geographic areas is not always logical. For example, one or more of the additional geographic areas may be remote from the original geographic areas or geographic areas that would logically be served by a single distribution device are split between two distribution devices. Compounding the problem is that the changes in the assignment of the areas served may not be provided to the content providers who are using the distribution devices to provide relevant targeted content to viewers. Even if the changes in assignment are provided, the information may be not provided timely. Thus, there is a need to create and maintain an association between distribution devices and the areas that they serve that accounts for post-installation changes. The need is not limited to geographic areas served, but applies to any common viewer characteristic that can be used to provide relevant targeted programming.